Single and double cast-off knitting machine



Dec. 13, 1938. F. J. KERN SINGLE AND DOUBLE CAST-OFF KNITTING MACHINE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I zwm Filed March 11, 1938 Dec. 13, 1938. F. J. KERN2,139,756

SINGLE AND DOUBLE CAST-OFF KNITTING MACHINE Filed Ma rch 11,-19;58 2Sheets-Shet g NTOR BY%W%W ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 13, 1938 MAC HIN

Frank J. Kern, BrooklynfN. Y.

Application March 11, 1938, Serial No. 195,212

17 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines of the double bed typehaving a row of double hooked needles reciprocable between the beds byjacks actuated by cams that reciprocate along the beds.

One object of the invention is to provide such a knitting machine havingimproved means for causing a single or double yarn loop cast-oft by theneedles, as desired, with the use of only a single head and a singlejacquard for each row of jacks. v

To endeavor to accomplish such results by the use of a double camcarrying head is not feasible. This would require eight latch openersfor the needles as against four latch openers for a single head. Inknitting machines, a minimum of latch openers is desirable because theyare a primary cause of breakage'of the needles. Moreover, in the doublehead, no unitary cam adjustments for the size of the yarn loops areavailable nor can movement or adjustment of the cams be accomplishedwith the high degree of accuracy required for knitting machines. Ofcourse the cams are different in double as compared with the singlehead. In any event, the double head is not a practical means forobtaining the single and double cast-offs.

By providing a double cast-off for each run of the knitting machine, thespeed of knitting is doubled as compared with the use of a singlecast-off. But in all knitted goods, it is necessary to knit certainpatterns. With a double cast-off machine, these patterns may be producedonly of length or other dimension double that required, the patternbeing so small that it can be produced only on a single cast-offmachine. Hence it is desirable to be able to switch the machine from thesingle to the double cast-off and vice versa, using the single cast-offwhere a pattern is being knitted, and the double cast-off where thefabric is being knitted plain at the high speed. I

To accomplish these results, there is a knitting machine having a doublehead, and eight latch openers, and operative only with the doublecastoff, but having two jacquards for each row of jacks so as to moreflexibly operate the jacks to transfer some of the needles from one bedto another, to thus produce any desired patterns. But this machine isexceedingly complicated and expensive and hence cannot fulfill the needfor a knitting machine having a single head and only one jacquard foreach row of jacks, and being in general like the ordinary singlecast-01f machine in construction.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a knitting machinewhich shall fulfill the objects and advantages referred to and avoid thedrawbacks mentioned.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a knitting machine'havingimproved means for instantly setting the same accurately for single ordouble cast-off, and for additionally setting the cams thereof to varythe sizes of the yarn loops I irrespective whether the machine bechanged from one kind of cast-01f to another.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improvedknitting machine as described, which is inexpensive to make andassemble, durable, reliable and efllcient to a high degree in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novelcombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in theirpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, andillustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are designatedby thesame reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view showing a single head embodying theinvention with the cams set for a double cast-ofi.

Fig.2 is a similar view of one section of said head with the ,cams setfor the single cast-off.

Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary view showingthe cast-01f cams in adifferent position of adjustment relative to the position of Fig. 1.

Fig.4 is a top plan view of the portion shown in Fig. 3, showing thesetting and adjusting mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the mechanism actuated to move one ofthe cast-off cams into inoperative position.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views taken on lines 6-6 and 1--| and8-8, respectively, of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view showing themeans for adjusting andsetting all the cams of one section of the head.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are ,best realized whenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and thesame structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less thanthe whole.

-It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, that the same may be incorporated'in several differentconstructions. The accompanying drawings, therefore, are submittedmerely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, a knitting machine is mentionedherein having two beds, a row of jacks in each bed, a jacquard for therear row of jacks, and a row of double hoolged needles reciprocatoryfrom .one bed to the other under actuation of the transverselyreciprocating-jacks that are operated by a head sliding to and fro alongthe beds and having cams engaging the jacks, all according toconventionalnpractice;eIn the present invention, the head l5 comprisesapair of sections I6, I! which are generallysimilar to each other exceptfor minor details that are immaterial to the invention di descriptionmfone head section will therefore apply to the other, except as otherwisestated. It is noted t filthahcaimsiare i-bllilflsllpe oiiri ees lent t ba-11 unimportant 11 .0 the -;.inventio th fflcant par-t ,otthecamstructurehein r i t; and certain movable andsettablefiammieces: Nearthe centenofthe head sections 15,; *1. provided the; respectivaramff-EIODYQS. 1 3 which the needles-area.transfer ed ZQmt ment with thejacks at. one bed to engageg ent with the jacks of the other-bed,infthensual man n' ovid d cscillatable Shifting-031111.101m Y xb Qirp eement of the adjacent... camgroovefor, causing shiftin of the. jacks,inia. conventional mahnfi i-in It isunneoessary todescribelthe detailsfco chine above referred to because they repre standard practice, and.becausethe; invent; be-zunderstood without more...detai1edediww ion.Immediately at the opposite ends of the usual cam'grooves-M, l9are,-:.the grooves-= 2 at jch the jacks cause-the needles t0. recei inthe hooks. thereon From the grooves F tend the .cam.grooves:-..22 whichslope angles toward each other..towardthescenter or the machine .andinwhichathe'. jacks cause;- the -From-the-cam grooves' 25, aceordinneedles to begin to casts. off szthe loops 1- provided that the relativetravel between theieam. and-.the jacks is such that the jacks aremovedraway from the center of the machine, BYMthB: centenotthe machineis meant the: areaabetween athe beds thereof. The castingofinoperationiis;completed by jacks at the cam grooves 23-which:.leadinto the cam groovesz i, 25.- -In the-conventionalsinglecast-offknitting:machines the camrgrooves 2-5 represented the pointof entry-andalsoofidisengagement-of the jacks-relative to-the head, except thatcertain additionalentrance: and outlet guide groeves were provided,including the oscillatory cam 20, where required. g to my invent-ion;extend the grooves 2fi-which lead-to the grooves 21 at which the jackscausethe needles to again Jay-inyarnfi The-latter grooves in turn-leadto the cam grooves 28 at which-the jacks cause the needles to againcast-01f the yarn loops, the casting offbeing completed at the grooves29 From the latter extend the inletoutlet grooves 30, 3|.

It Will-beperceived that when the head [5 is set for the doublecast-ofi-as ;shown in Fig;--l, the operation at I the series of canrgrooves 2 l,- 2 2, 23 is exactly like thatat the series-of cam grooves21, 2t; and 29, and.- the shape-andloeatioir; of the oneseries may beexactly like that of the other series of cam groovesw Adjustment issometimes desirable for the size q 5 Each series of cam grooves at theopposite ends of the center grooves I8, I9 may, if desired, be providedwith-,a-JnQVable cam portion 32, each, of

which is independently spring actuated by its individual tension coilspring 33, see Figs. 6 and 7, to occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1.These cam, portions. pern1it relative travel of the jacks in thedirection indicated by arrow 34; but when the relative direction oftravel is as indicated by ,5.eteerain Pa es firi eus ed i wa zi ei s gllve .pe i i 5 a s he tens on i the spring 33 as shown, irrFig. 3; l'iieteenwqrsikar t has s tr ve ng t i the left, the left cam portion 32 ismoved in aid,

t av in -r w s r1 h he 's e r rQ E QMemer i- We es lt effe me i ee a eli om t gropve 2l. directly,.to,the groo r... se ge-re ime @S @111 athat series of cams at which the cam to lo 3:2 si s mer e wa t; 1 eitherer dstfl. at' thegight endof the-head c se the cast-of! ir mtbe eeistra i s oward; lei-P his! 'versa Th reason for moving. the .cams fl H?e Qt e a ks wedg P i t r. Pi- ..ith h eens ee p s ibility te -W 9 y bethrown from the needle hooks or s the 3. i. rd e i edit. t a rieme e filme e slot 38 in a iateuprth head g A the tensioh coil springc33 bei ntted a smite; Said Strip end qit es Ma tie-.1: e The setting andadjusting movement of w l ho be $F r-.QQ e wil .denote the first a t-cael, and nd; cast-off there being "such .th s

qemsieteee iied bf t t ersm t- $5191 M head, section. These oamsCl, aremovehl eenera e re e t zach Other Th 9a is movable, only. for loopadjustmenhas slrown n me t 3. d l -..ts

5951 on as shown in 2 so that fno c wilmce r at h s-ea ..I eiher er sihchine will-then cause only a single .,cast .off I or e q rd re t i n h s9i? .f in qe m sm l' were; 901

'31 and at 'itsother Desirabl thecam flh cz a i emd groovesfiq providedtherefor on the. base plate 39...: For; mounting ,these cams l the strior 4 elements. 42 may bev suitably .affixed. thereto ior movementin theslots 43 formed in, the .base plate 39.'-Connected..,to..each elements,Math i s va tension coil sprin-g 45 securedat its vothernend t0 the baseplate 39 at 46. such that the springs 45 tend to individually 21 9. thave moved 'In thatcase, the cams};

Hence the action is m move the cams C l and C2 away from the center ofthe machine, to keep them in the position shown in Fig. 1.

For the cam Cl, a block 41 may be secured to its rail or guide element42 so as to be adapted to engage the arm 48 of an actuator 49 to whichthe guide element 42 of the cam C2 is-afiixed as by the screws 50. Inother words, the actuator 49 moves in the direction of movement of thecam C2, and additional guiding action for the actuator 49 may beprovided by the guide element or angle strip 5| that is'afiixed to theplate 39. It will now be perceived that if the member 4'! is moved byany suitable means hereinafter mentioned, it will move the abutting arm48 of the actuator 49, according to Fig. 4, and cause the latter tocorrespondingly move the cam C2. Thus accuracy is assured in that bothcams Cl, C2 will be adjusted exactly alike as shown in Fig. 3, to adjustthe size of the loops formed by the needles. As shown in Fig. 9, a bar52 may have cam portions 53 for simultaneously equally moving both ofthe members 41, the bar 52 being guided as at 54 for accurate movementand being controlled as by a nut 55 on a'threaded portion of the bar,said nut abutting any fixed part 56. In Fig. 9, the series of cams,including cams Cl and C2 is schematically shown at 51.

In order to move cam C2 to inoperative position, a slide member 58 isguidingly mounted in a casing 59 secured to the plate 39, the limits ofmotion of the slide member being determined as by a slot 60 in thecasing receiving a pin 6| of the slide member. To permit the slide 58 tooperate the actuator 49, the latter may'have a pin 63 afiixed theretoand lying in the path of the slide 58. Since the travel of the cam 32 isless than that of the cams CI and C2, the slide 58 is undercut at 64 toabut a plate 65 that is afiixed to the cam 32, and to which the spring33 is connected. It will thus be apparent that on moving the slide 58from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5, the slide causes movementof the cams C2 and 32 against the tension of their respective springsand 33, the actuator 49 being moved first and being thereafteraccompanied by movement of the cam 32. Upon release of the slide 58, thesame and the actuator 49 and the cams referred to are returned toinitial position by the several springs.

For actuating both cam series 5'! simultaneously and equally, a bar 66guided at 6'! may have cams 68 for pushing against theindividual slides58 of the cam means 5! upon longitudinal motion of said bar as in thecase of the bar 52.

It will now be seen that the cams Cl, C2 may be adjusted by the bar 52for loop size and that the adjusting means is not interfered with by themeans for setting cam C2 in inoperative position.

Likewise, it will be noted that cam C2 can be set in inoperativeposition, and viceversa without affecting the adjustment of the cams Cl,C2 by the bar 52.

Further, it will be observed that cam 32 is moved into inoperative andoperative positions together with the cam C2, and when cam 32 is inoperative position, its momentary movement to inoperative position, asshown in Fig. 3, is not impeded by its control mechanism.

I claim:

1. A knitting machine comprising two series of needle controlling jacksand cam means for actuating each of said series of jacks, each 'cammeans including means for controlling engagement and disengagement ofthe jacks in course of the travel thereof, each controlling meansincluding a single transfer cam, and a pair of movable cast-ofi camsadjacent each end of said controlling means arranged so that one or theother of said pairs of cams actuates the jacks to cause the needles tocast off yarn loops according as the jacks are traveling in respectivelyone or an opposite direction, one pair of cams being inclined oppositelyto the other pair of cams, an intermediate cam portion between the camsof each pair, movable to cause a difierent path of the jacks when thelatter pass in noncast-ofi direction relative to a pair of cams, andmeans to move one cam of each of said pairs of camsto a positioninoperative for causing the cast-ofi actuation of the jacks.

2. A knitting machine according to claim 1, including means independentof the last mentioned means for setting both pairs of cams to vary thepath of the jacks to cause the latter to actuate the needles so as toadjust the size of the yarn loops formed, whereby one or both of a pairof cams can be set to loop adjusting position according as one or bothof a pair of cams are in cast-ofi causing position.

3. A device including a double bed knitting machine of the type having asingle series of double hooked needles reciprocable between the beds, alongitudinal series of jacks for each bed movable therealong, each bedhaving a transfer cam at which the jacks engage and release the needles,2. pair of cams along the bed adjacent to each end of the transfer cam,the cams of each pair being alike and being generally at right anglesrelative to the cams of the other pair, one cam of each pair beingmovable to operative and inoperative position to actuate the jacks tocause the needles to cast off yarn loops according as the jacks travelin a predetermined direction relative to a pair of cams, both cams ofeach pair being settable to vary the path of the jacks to actuate theneedles to control the size of the yarn loops, and means for moving oneof each pair of cams to inoperative position, including means for equal-1y setting one or both cams of each pair according as one or both ofeach pair of cams are in operative position.

4. In a knitting machine of the type having double hooked needlesreciprocable between two beds having jacks for actuating the needles,the combination with a first cast-01f cam, of a second cast-oh cam, saidcams being adjustable, the second cam being movable to inoperativeposition, an intermediate guide cam between said cams, the intermediatecam being movable to inoperative position, and means for adjusting thefirst and second cams equally and for moving the second cam and theintermediate cam to inoperative position without affecting theadjustment of the first cam.

5. In a knitting machine of the type having double hooked needlesreciprocable between two beds having jacks for actuating the needles,the combination with a first cast-off cam, of a second cast-o1? cam,said cams being adjustable, the second cam being movable toinoperativeposition, an intermediate guide cam between said cams, theintermediate cam being movable to inoperative position, the intermediatecam being automatically yieldingly movable to operative position andbeing movable by a jack to inoperative position, and means for adjustingthe first and second cams equally and for moving the second cam and theintermediate cam to inoperative position without affecting theadjustment of the first cam, said means cooperating with the interemediate cam to permit the same to be automatically-and-jackeoperated asstated in the operative position of the intermediate cam, and said meanscoacting with the second cam to, maintain it in the said position ofadjustment upon return of the second cam to operative position.

6. In a. knitting machine of the type having double hooked needlesreciprocable between two beds having jacks for actuating the needles,the combination with a first cast-off cam, of a second cast-off cam,said cams being adjustable, the second cam being movable to inoperativeposition, an intermediate guide cam between said cams, the intermediatecam being movable to inoperative position, the intermediate cam beingautomatically yieldingly movable to operative position and being movableby a jack to inoperative position, a setting means for moving the secondcam to operative and inoperative positions, said setting meansreleasably coacting with the intermediate cam to move the same toinoperative position, an adjusting means coacting with the first cam andreleasably with the setting means and being movable in one direction toadjust the first cam together with the second cam, the setting meansbeing movable in said direction beyond the adjusting position to movethe second and intermediate cams to inoperative position withoutaffecting the adjusting means, the setting means being movable inopposite direction to, the position of adjustment of the adjustingmeans.

'7. In a knitting machine of the type having double hooked needlesreciprocable between two beds having jacks for actuating the needles,the combination with a first cast-01f cam, of a second cast-off cam,said cams being adjustable, the second cam being movable to inoperativeposition, an intermediate guide cam between said cams, the intermediatecam being movableto inoperative position, the intermediate cam beingautomatically yieldingly movable to operative position and being movableby a jack to inoperative position, a setting means fixedly connected tothe second cam for moving the same to inoperative position, a spring formoving the second cam to operative position,an actuator for moving thesetting means and the intermediate cam difier-.

ent distances to their respective inoperative positions, theintermediate cam being releasably engageable with the actuator so as tobe movable to inoperative position independently of the actuator, anadjusting means for adjusting the first cam and for releasably engagingthe setting means to move the second cam toadjusted position against thetension of said, spring, another springtending to oppose the adjustingmovement of the first cam, said setting means being movable beyond theadjusted position to move the second cam toinoperative position.

8. In a knitting machine of the type having a row of doublehookedneedles movable betweentwo beds of jacks along which is movable a singlecam head for. the beds, having a needle transfer cam and a cast-off cam,the combination. with the first cast-off camofa secondlcast-ofi camparallel to the first cast-off cam, the first and second cast-off camsbeing adjustable to adjust the yarn loops, the second cast-ofi cam beingmovableto inoperative position, a setting means for moving the secondcam to operative and inoperative positions, an adjusting means movablein one direction ,to adjust the firstcam, the adjusting means releasablycoactingwith the second cam to adjust the lattertogether with the firstcam, thesetting means being movable in said direction be yond theadjusting position of the adjusting means to move the second cam toinoperative position without affecting the adjustment of the first cam,the setting means being movable in opposite direction to the position ofadjustment of the adjusting means whereby the latter adjusts the secondcam upon return of the second cam to its operative position.

9. In a knitting machine of the type having a row of double hookedneedles movable between two. beds of jacks along which is reciprocable asingle cam head for the beds, having a single needle transfer cam and acast-off cam, the combination with the single transfer cam and the firstcast-off cam of a second cast-off cam parallel to the first cast-offcam, both cast-off cams being at one side of the transfer cam, thesecond cast-oh cam being movable to inoperative position, and means formoving the second castoif cam between operative and inoperativepositions. 7

10;. In a knitting machine of the type having a row of double hookedneedles movable between two beds of jacks along which is reciprocable acam head for the jacks, the combination of a single reciprocable headhaving a single jack transfercam, and a pair of cast-ofi cams at each.end of the transfer cam, the cams of each pair being generally parallelfor successive like cast offs.

11. In a knitting machine of the type having a row of double hookedneedles movable between twolbeds of jacks along which is movable asingle cam head for the beds, having a needle transfer cam and a cast-oncam, the combination with the first cast-off cam of a second cast-offcam parallel to the first cast-off cam, the second castoiT cam beingmovable to inoperative position, means for moving the second cast-offcam be tween operative and inoperative positions, a movable ca-mintermediate of the first and second cams, said intermediate cam havingoperative and inoperative positions to-cause-the jacks to followdifferentcarn paths, means for yieldingly urging the intermed-iatecamsto operative position, and means releasably acting between theintermediate cam and the first mentioned means to cause thelatter tomove the intermediate cam to inoperative position together with thesecond cam, said intermediate cam in the operative position thereofbeing momentarily movable by a passing jack to inoperative positionwithout affecting the first mentioned means.

12. In a knitting machine of the type having a row of doublehookedneedles movable between two beds of jacks along which is reciprocable acam head for the jacks, the combination of a 13. In a knitting machineof the type having a row of double hooked needles movable between twobeds of jacks along which is reciprocable a single cam head for thebeds, having a single needle transfer cam and a cast-off cam, thecombination with the single transfer cam and the first cast-off cam of asecond cast-off cam parallel to the first cast-off cam, both cast-offcams being at one side of the transfer cam, the second cast-off cambeing movable to inoperative position, and means for adjusting thecast-off cams equally and for holding the second cast-01f cam ininoperative position without affecting the said adjustment, so that theinoperatively positioned cam is in adjusted position upon being returnedto operative position.

14. A knitting machine comprising two series of needle controlling jacksand cam means for actuating each of said series of jacks, each cam meansincluding means for controlling engagement and disengagement of thejacks in course of the travel thereof, each controlling means includinga single transfer cam, and a pair of castoff cams adjacent each end ofsaid controlling means arranged so that one or the other of said pairsof cams actuates the jacks to cause the needles to cast ofi" yarn loopsaccording as the jack-s are traveling in respectively one or an oppositedirection, one pair of cams being inclined oppositely to the other pairof cams, and an intermediate cam portion between the cams of each pair,movable to cause a different path of the jacks when the latter pass innoncast-oif direction relative to a pair of cams.

15. A knitting machine comprising two series of needle controlling jacksand cam means for actuating each of said series of jacks, each cam meansincluding means for controlling engagement and disengagement of thejacks in course of the travel thereof, each controlling means includinga single transfer cam, and a pair of cast-off cams adjacent each end ofsaid controlling means arranged so that one or the other of said pairsof cams actuates the jacks to cause the needles to cast 01f yarn loopsaccording as the jacks are traveling in respectively one or an oppositedirection, one

pair of cams being inclined oppositely to the other pair of cams, and anintermediate cam portion between the cams of each pair, movable to causea different path of the jacks when the latter pass in noncast-oifdirection relative to a pair of cams, and like cams of each pair ofcast-01f cams being movable to inoperative position.

16. In a knitting machine of the type having a row of double hookedneedles movable between two beds of jacks along which is movable asingle cam head for the jacks, the combination of a single transfer camand a pair of parallel cast-01f cams at each side of the transfer cams,one pair of cast-off cams being at an angle to the other pair ofcast-off cams, a first cast-01f cam of each pair nearest to the transfercam being relatively permanently fixed, and the second cast-oil cam ofeach pair being movable to inoperative position.

1'7. In a knitting machine of the type having a row of double hookedneedles movable between two beds of jacks along which is movable asingle cam head for the jacks, the combination of a single transfer camand a pair of parallel cast-ofi cams at each side of the transfer cams,one pair of cast-01f cams being at an angle to the other pair ofcast-off cams, a first cast-off cam of each pair nearest to the transfercam being relatively permanently fixed, and the second cast-off cam ofeach pair being movable to inoperative position, and an intermediate cambetween the cams of each pair of cast-off cams, said intermediate camsbeing movable to and retained in inoperative position together with thesecond cast-off cams, and said intermediate cams being movable to andfro between operative and inoperative positions when the second cast-offcams are in operative position, said to and fro movement of theintermediate cams being in accordance with the direction of movement ofthe cam head.

FRANK J. KERN.

